Two Potlatch Residents Dead After UTV Plunges Into River Near St. Maries
Two Latah County residents lost their lives Friday night when an off-road utility vehicle left the roadway and plunged into a river in Benewah County, the Idaho State Police reported.
The crash occurred around 9:25 p.m. near the 9000 block of Railroad Grade Road outside St. Maries. A 52-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman, both from Potlatch, were riding in a 2023 Can-Am Maverick Sport when the vehicle veered off the road, traveled down an embankment, and entered the river.
Neither occupant was wearing a seat belt. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Idaho State Police are investigating the cause of the crash. Additional details on the incident are available here.
What Comes Next
The investigation remains open as Idaho State Police work to determine the exact circumstances that led to the vehicle leaving the roadway. Authorities have not released the names of the victims pending family notification. Residents traveling off-road routes in the region are reminded that seat belt and restraint use in side-by-side vehicles is a critical safety factor.